Broken Banner
by FromTheInsideOut2
Summary: What better way to celebrate their customer's birthday than with a big party for everyone! Mori is in charge of the banner and needs some help hanging it up! Will they be successful? -Prompt created from my 100 Hits OHSHC Bingo board on Tumblr!


**A/N- This story is the product of a prompt on my 100 Hits OHSHC Bingo board I am doing over on my Tumblr account (wichols).**

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Music Room 3 was bustling with excitement as the hosts began their preparations for 'The First Annual Birthday Celebration.' Tamaki insisted that instead of celebrating all their customer's birthdays on different days that they would all work together to create one giant birthday party! During discussions, Kyoya noticed the budget was inflating at a preposterous rate and subtly insisted that they change their direction by asking Haruhi what it was like to have a 'commoners' birthday party. The exuberant king wailed with excitement as Haruhi went on to describe what her father had done for her tenth birthday party.

_"From what I remember there were streamers, a couple balloons, some shiny table decorations, confetti, and candles on my birthday cake. It seemed a little fussy to me but dad really enjoyed doing everything so I guess it wasn't too bad."_

_"That's it?" Hikaru questioned. "But what about fresh flowers?"_

_"That's it. I would even consider that birthday over the top compared to the rest." She started so matter-of-factly. _

_"So no table of fancy sweets?" Honey whimpered._

_"Just my birthday cake and some ice cream."_

_"Don't worry Honey-senpai, I will make sure to have plenty of extra sweets on hand just for you." Kyoya placated the sweets loving host._

_Typing some notes on his phone, Kaoru glanced at Haruhi fearing the worst as he asked his question. "What did people wear at your birthday party? Mother usually designs something extra special for us to wear. Should we start the designs for everyone's formal wear?" _

_"You know my dad he forced me into some frilly pink dress and insisted on doing my hair up into some weird bun thing. But everyone else just wore normal clothes. We can probably just wear our school uniforms and tell our customers that they can wear something besides their yellow dresses." _

_"WHAT? Commoner's clothing? We all know your hopeless sense of fashion, I can't imagine what a drab looking sea of department store duplicates looked like in one room!" His trembling body fainted into the arms of his equally as shocked twin._

_"I know shocking." Rolling her eyes in disinterested towards their over the top display. "How about instead of designing our clothes you can work with Tamaki in picking out the decor? Between the three of you, I am sure you will come up with something suitable to your tastes. After a few more exasperated outbursts from the more outspoken hosts, plans were set for three weeks later._

"Haru-chan! Haru-chan! Can you help Takashi hang the streamers and birthday banner since I am busy?" Honey's voice rang out from behind the large cake display.

"Why me? I am only a little bit taller than you are. Why don't you ask Tamaki? At least they are about the same height."

"Don't worry Haru-chan! Since I was supposed to help Takashi he already got my step stool ready! All you have to do is hold it up while he sets them in place." He chirped. "Easy peasy!" Bounding towards the kitchen, he left her staring at Mori-senpai holding an assortment of paper streamers.

"Guess that answers that." Sliding a small cupcake towards the center of the table she watched him disappear into the kitchen leaving them alone to finish the job. Had she been paying better attention she would have noticed the shift in the room after Honey left. Approaching the tall host she gave him a small smile. "I know I'm not Honey but can I help you?"

"Hn. Hold this." Handing her one side of the fabric banner, he bent down to pick up the handle end of the small hammer. Eyeing the stool he watched as she climbed the two steps and waited for further instructions. "Up."

"Like this?" She asked.

"Yes." Leaning closer to her small frame his chest pressed against her shoulders while his arms appeared on either side of her face, to hammer in a small nail to hold up the banner. Tap. Tap. Tap. Driving the small nail above her head he watched her hook the small ribbon around the anchored nail. The slightly sweetened scent of strawberries drifted into his senses as her shoulders lifted the banner into place. Attempting to stifle the subtle moan his body let loose, he let the hammer slip between his fingers causing a loud thud to echo throughout the room.

Stumbling off the top step of the stool, Haruhi's body jerked backwards. Trying to correct the problem she reached for the banner to stop her descent, with little success. Haruhi and the banner continued falling towards the ground as she kicked the stool attempting to twist mid-air to allow her hands to brace the fall instead of her back. A momentary flash of fear swept across her face before she slammed her eyes shut bracing for the impending impact as her body collided hard into Mori.

The impact of her body against his caused him to grunt as the air from his lungs was forced out from the collision. His defensive instincts kicked in and he protectively wrapped his arms around the younger female as they crashed to the floor.

Feeling the warm breath against her lips, her eyes flew open to see Mori's skin flush crimson at their current predicament. _Did we just accidentally kiss? Oh, GOD! How do I fix this!?_ Trying to alleviate the growing embarrassment between them, she flailed helplessly attempting to free her arms from their entrapment between the banner and her own body. "Ah! Dumb banner!"

"Takashi, something wrong?" Honey called out from the kitchen.

The accidental kiss combined with the squirming from her attempts of freeing herself caused his mind to momentary lapse into an unusual haze of ecstasy, sending currents racing throughout his body.

"Takashi?" The tone slightly louder and more concerned than the last.

Her eyes flicked frantically between Mori's and the opening to the kitchen urging him to respond. Seconds passed with no avail and faint footsteps could be heard coming towards them. "We're fine Honey-senpai! Everything's fine! No need to come and check!" Her cheeks flushed red as she rolled herself off his chest and onto the floor, successfully untangling herself from the banner.

"Uh, sor-, sorry Haruhi…" Was all he could manage to choke out with his face continuing to burn red.

"It's fine! Um, accidents happen. But I'm afraid the banner ribbon broke during the fall. Sorry about that." The frayed ribbon of the banner lay limply between her fingers.

Regaining more of his composure, he looked at her earnestly. "As long as you are ok then that's all the matters to me. Broken items can be mended easier than broken bones." His fingers lightly grazed hers as he grabbed the banner and offering her a hand.

Her heart quickened at his touch but she took his offered hand. "Might be best if we keep what happened between us, just between us. No need for both of us to face the firing squad over something that was an accident."

"Certainly."

"What happened to the banner? Why is it broken?" Honey looked quizzically at the frayed ribbon caught in Mori's hand.

Giving Haruhi a knowing glance Mori answered, "must have arrived like that."

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_I figured it is only right to include this funny little tidbit since I couldn't find any other place to put this. While talking about this situation with a fellow MorixHaruhi shipper we came up with the back story for the prompt and this is the conversation that followed. _

_Fellow Shipper: "They are in charge of hanging streamers and she needs a footstool, she slips, he catches her (obviously), and they bump lips on the way down. And the streamers wrap around them… tying them together in a confetti cocoon… and they have to roll out of the music room in search of the other hosts to get free!"_

_Myself: "Haha! 'Mori-senpai something hard is pressing into my leg. Is that the hammer or something?'"_

_"Yes." Even though it was definitely not the hammer._


End file.
